Data from list plugin for Data Loggers
Latest version: 5.0.1 build 1126. November 28, 2025.
Data From List is a data transformation plugin designed for situations where you need to replace a code with a readable value. It allows you to map numeric or short text identifiers to clear descriptions without writing scripts. For example, instead of displaying error code "E103" in your export, you can store and show "Overtemperature alarm". This approach makes logs easier to read, speeds up incident analysis, and reduces the risk of misinterpretation during support calls or audits.
The plugin works with variables created and prepared by our logger and replaces their values according to your rules. You can keep the mapping list inside the configuration or in an external text file, which the plugin monitors and loads automatically when changed. This makes it suitable for environments where codes and descriptions are maintained by different teams or changed frequently.
The configuration of the "Data From List" plugin is straightforward. For each variable that you want to translate, you specify three things: the source variable name, a list of mapping rules (or a file path to the list), and an optional destination variable name. A mapping rule has the form "source_value=destination_value". For example, you can define rules such as "1=OK|2=Warning|3=Critical". When new data arrives, the plugin compares the current value of the source variable to the left side of each rule ("1", "2", "3", etc.). If a match is found, the value is replaced with the right side of the rule ("OK", "Warning", "Critical"). If you specify a destination variable, the decoded value is written there, and the original variable remains unchanged. This is useful when you want to keep both the raw code and friendly description in the exported data.
The external list file is a simple text file with one mapping per line. For instance:
0=OK
1=Warning
2=Critical
E01=Sensor fault
E103=Overtemperature alarm
The "Data From List" plugin integrates well with our data loggers. Consider an industrial controller that sends a line of data over the serial port every second:
2025-11-28 08:00:00;CH1;E103;45.6
In this example, the logging software has already parsed the data into variables:
DATE_TIME_STAMP = 2025-11-28 08:00:00
Channel = CH1
ErrorCode = E103
Temperature = 45.6
You configure the plugin with a mapping list for the variable ErrorCode and store it as ErrorDescription:
E000=No error
E101=Sensor disconnected
E102=Low voltage
E103=Overtemperature alarm
E200=Maintenance required
Summary
The Data from list plugin is suitable for many practical tasks. You can map alarm levels, device types, user IDs, product codes, and other structured identifiers to descriptions that are better suited for end users. You can keep short codes for compact storage while presenting readable values in your viewers and exports.
How to enable this plugin
The figure below shows how to select the plugin on the "Modules" page.
Fig.1. Selecting the plugin.
How to configure the plugin
The figure below shows how to configure the plugin. Please, look at the documentation for the full description of all settings.
Fig.2. Configuring the plugin.
Read more about other plugins:
All plugins | Deadband | Expressions | Aggregator | Digital inputs filter | Script execute | Events generator | Redirect data | Redirecting data to a TCP server | Data timeout | Alarms Professional | Data Encode | Data From List | Failover | Summary statistics